CLEVELAND, OH – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) applauded President Trump’s promise to enforce trade rules in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, today. Brown called on the President to follow up with immediate action in the pending 232 case on steel imports. Trump said today the U.S. would not turn a blind eye to trade competitors who cheat and the U.S. will enforce its trade laws.

Today’s speech comes after the President answered Brown’s call to take action against unfairly priced washing machines being imported by foreign competitors.

“President Trump is right that we must enforce the rules so American workers can compete on a level playing field, and he can start right now by taking strong action against China’s steel overcapacity,” said Brown. “China’s cheating is shuttering American factories and American steelworkers cannot afford to wait any longer for relief.”

Brown, who applauded the Administration’s decision to launch the investigation into the impact of certain steel imports on national security, has called on the Administration to make a determination in the case for several months.

Immediately after President Trump’s election, Brown reached out to his transition team to offer his help in retooling U.S. trade policy. Brown wrote to Trump in November 2016 offering specific steps to work together on trade and Trump responded with a handwritten note. Brown has called on Administrations of both parties to help reduce China’s steel overcapacity, which leaves U.S. steelworkers and companies at a competitive disadvantage.

Brown has worked to boost the U.S. steel industry. Brown’s legislation, the Leveling the Playing Field Act, cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) and signed into law in June 2015, has restored strength to antidumping and countervailing duty statutes that allow businesses and workers in the United States to petition the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission (ITC) when foreign producers, including China, sell goods in the U.S. below market price or receive illegal subsidies. The law led to key wins for Ohio steel companies in major trade cases last year on cold-rolled, hot-rolled, and corrosion-resistant steel, including U.S. Steel, Nucor, ArcelorMittal, and AK Steel, which together employ more than 8,200 Ohio workers.

 

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